THE former Greenock Academy building has been officially rebranded as Waterloo Road - signalling the transformation of the school.

An historic clock which was on the school tower was taken down yesterday and replaced with the iconic maroon colours of Waterloo Road, along with a sign emblazoned with the building's new name.

The changes were made ahead of filming for the new series of the hit BBC drama, which will start in just over a week's time - Monday 2 April.

Scaffolding was put up at the Madeira Street building yesterday as production staff tore down the old timepiece and replaced it with the new signage.

The final touches are also being put to work inside the building, with corridors and classrooms being decorated and made ready for the arrival of camera and production equipment.

A show insider told the Tele: "The transformation is happening fast and furious.

"The old Greenock Academy school sign has been taken down and replaced with the Waterloo Road sign - so the school is now officially Waterloo Road."

The latest series of the hit show, produced by Shed Productions, is currently being aired on BBC One on Wednesday evenings.

During the next two years a total of 50 one-hour episodes of Waterloo Road will be shot in Greenock.

Several locations around the district are expected to be filmed during the course of the programme but the Madeira Street building will be the main base.

Waterloo Road's arrival in Greenock is expected to provide a significant boost to the Scottish creative sector, which industry experts have put at an estimated worth of �20 million. They have also predicted that up to 200 jobs could be created by the move to Inverclyde.